A1Comm Setup Questions

[LMSSC]

Dear Michael,

Thanks again for your ongoing support and quick response to all our quesitons.

Our office has some pre-setup questions in regards to the A1Comm program.

I'll be quoting from the "A1Comm Setup" that can be found under the "Articles" (link).

http://www.appellsoftware.com/Articles/A1CommSetup.htm

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One observation and a question.

I searched around the a1law\extras folder for the program... no luck. I did find it in the a1law folder (rather than a subfolder).

-If you decide to run the A1Comm program on another server/workstation, does it matter where you copy it to? (C: drive, C:\LAWLOCAL, etc?

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Does this mean that the computer has to not only be #1 - on, but also #2 - logged in? (Program will close if you log out?). Or logged in but you could lock the computer system? (Ctrl+Alt+Del - Lock Computer - programs will still run but you need to enter the password to do anything on the computer)

Some programs will run if the computer is #1 - on (with no one logged in)... like various activated parts of Windows 2000 server or Norton Antivirus Server.

If the computer does need to be #1 - on with #2 - someone logged in to use the A1Comm program... it creates a security hazard, especially if its your file server.
-So if this is the case, we'll probably have A1Comm running on our secondary server... That will be #1 on, #2 - logged in... but also #3 - Locked (Ctrl+Alt+Del - Lock Computer).

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So would this mean to place in the (Windows 2000 server) folder: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (folder) the Shortcut (if A1 Comm was in the C:\LAWLOCAL (folder)): C:\LAWLOCAL\A1Comm.exe MINIMIZE (the word "MINIMIZE" being added to the end of the shortcut "Target") - ("MINIMIZE" rather than "START MINIMIZE" because it's already in the Startup).

Thanks again Michael for everything. Looking forward to your responses!

[Anonymous User]

Hello:

1. Copy the A1Comm.exe program from the a1law\extras folder into the A1Law folder. One observation and a question. I searched around the a1law\extras folder for the program... no luck. I did find it in the a1law folder (rather than a subfolder).

Then you may erase station2.ini in the extras folder, run A1-Law and it should extract it into the A1Law\Extras folder (so long as your A1Law icons are set up properly. In other words the shortcut should say C:\lawlocal\La1law.exe A1Law and the target should be c:\lawlocal )

2. If you decide to run the A1Comm program on another server/workstation, does it matter where you copy it to? (C: drive, C:\LAWLOCAL, etc?

You may run it anywhere so long as you have already setup A1-Law to run as a client on that workstation (and have run the Link Computer To Network)

3. You will need to run the A1Comm program 24 hours a day. It MUST be running on one computer only (preferably the file server). Does this mean that the computer has to not only be #1 - on, but also #2 - logged in? (Program will close if you log out?).

Not if you set up A1Comm "as a service" on that computer. I'm not familiar with the details of exactly how that works. If you right click My Computer and click Manage then you can see all the services running. Services run regardless of whether anyone is logged in on a computer. Feel free to post back if you get the details on how to launch a program as a service (one may also set it up so that services are re-launched if they are accidentally terminated).

4. Or logged in but you could lock the computer system? (Ctrl+Alt+Del - Lock Computer - programs will still run but you need to enter the password to do anything on the computer)

Right - or use screen saver password but probably better to lock the computer. I'm not sure why you would not want to run it on the file server. A1Comm is a very small program, very stable and takes very very few resources which is why it was designed for just that purpose.

5. Some programs will run if the computer is #1 - on (with no one logged in)... like various activated parts of Windows 2000 server or Norton Antivirus Server.

Right - any service will.

6. If the computer does need to be #1 - on with #2 - someone logged in to use the A1Comm program... it creates a security hazard, especially if its your file server.

Not if you set it up "as a service," then no one needs to be signed on. But, either way, you may run A1Comm on any computer so long as all the other computers can ping the IP and the firewall does not block those computer from accessing the sockets.

7, The Start parameter forces A1Comm to start automaticaly and MINIMIZE will minimize the program. This will allow you to put A1Comm in the Startup folder so that when the server is restarted, A1Comm will run automatically. Otherwise, if A1Comm is not running, users will get errors when trying to run A1Law.

Right - they will get errors that they are not connected but will still be able to work with A1Law it's just they will continue to get messages as A1Law continues to try and reconnect. One needs to click the Listen button at the A1Comm screen without the Start parameters.

8. So would this mean to place in the (Windows 2000 server) folder: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (folder) the Shortcut (if A1 Comm was in the C:\LAWLOCAL (folder)): C:\LAWLOCAL\A1Comm.exe MINIMIZE (the word "MINIMIZE" being added to the end of the shortcut "Target") - ("MINIMIZE" rather than "START MINIMIZE" because it's already in the Startup).

You could - but again, if you scour the internet or check with your consultant on how to set it up as a service that would be best. Let us know if you get the details on that.

Mike

[LMSSC]

Dear Michael,

Did some internet scouring with running a program as a service in mind...

Here's what I've found so far.

There's a couple of ways I've found so far how you can do it. I haven't tested any of them... still just reading what's out there.

1. One would be paying a provider like http://www.application-as-service.com/ from Eltima for an automated program. ($79.95 for a single license)

2. Another would be using programs from the "Resource Kits" for Windows. The Windows NT Resource Kit had a set of programs for turning a program into a service that you can find at the Tacktech website: http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=197

It involves using two programs, INSTSRV.EXE & SRVANY.EXE - AND - Doing some editing of the Registry. (Insert standard "If you work on the registry and mess up.. you may need to reformat/reinstall your OS. So backup your registry and be careful")

Explanations of the process can be found at the forementioned Tacktech website and "How To Create a User-Defined Service" from Microsoft support: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/137890/EN-US/

Here is an example used to setup a service to diagnose SETI data: http://www.geocities.com/johnkoji/pc/SETIhome-e.html

As for the Resource Kit, at least the Windows 2000 Server one I bought a ways back...

Some of the tools can be found for free:
http://www.petri.co.il/download_free_reskit_tools.htm

Others are found if you buy the 2000 Server Resource Kit:
http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/books/1394.aspx

It's list is $299.99 Retail... but you can easily find it for less than $200 on Amazon.com or buy searching around by its ISBN number on the various book search sites.

**As for going back to testing the above programs... I'm going to have to pick something to use as a test model before setting this up on the Server... Hmm...

[LMSSC]

Dear Michael,

With the move to the 2008 Server, we are re-visiting the issue of running the A1-Comm as a Service.

http://www.techtalkz.com/tips-n-tricks/ ... rvice.html

Please let me know if anything has changed in regards to the A1-Comm program.

I keep you informed of my research progress.

Thanks!

Sincerely, Michael Lerner - Lerner, Moore, Silva, Cunningham & Rubel

[Anonymous User]

Nothing has changed the the A1Comm program.

Please see this link which may help you to run an exe as a service:
http://kennethhunt.com/archives/001728.html

Let me know.
Mike